Single-Pot Fabrication of Cellulose-Reinforced Solid Polymer Lithium-Ion Conductors

Flexible power sources are essential to enable the autonomous operation of portable electronic systems. Conventional liquid electrolytes are not desirable for flexible batteries because of safety concerns surrounding the use of flammable organic solvents. A polymer electrolyte presents a promising alternative due to its higher mechanical integrity and lower risk of leaking solvent. Though they have such advantages, these electrolytes have lower ionic conductivity compared to conventional liquid electrolytes and are typically prepared using multistep process sequences. Here, we demonstrate a “single-pot” synthetic approach that affords a flexible, free-standing solid polymer electrolyte comprising cellulose-based nanocrystals and a cross-linked interpenetrating polymer network. Polyethylene oxide (PEO) is blended with poly­(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDMA), cellulose nanocrystals, and a lithium salt to afford the cross-linked polymer electrolyte upon UV irradiation. The cross-linked PEGDMA matrix provides good mechanical properties, while PEO is known for excellent electrochemical stability and its ability to solubilize lithium salts. The nontoxic cellulose additive also contributes to good mechanical properties and serves as a reinforcing filler. Soft and flexible polymer electrolytes were prepared with this approach. When the cellulose nanocrystal content reached 10 wt % relative to the PEO fraction, ionic conductivity was retained at 20 °C compared to the PEO control. The results provide a path toward sustainable, polymer electrolytes with performance metrics suitable for applications having a lower energy demand

Integrated olfactory receptor and microarray gene expression databases-1

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Integrated olfactory receptor and microarray gene expression databases"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2105/8/231</p><p>BMC Bioinformatics 2007;8():231-231.</p><p>Published online 30 Jun 2007</p><p>PMCID:PMC1955752.</p><p></p>ts have a many-to-many relationship, i.e., each project may have multiple experiments and each experiment may be associated with one or more projects. Microarray gene expression data are uploaded for individual experiments and annotated with the "genes" which are probed in the particular gene-chips. The olfactory receptor "genes" in ORMD have links with the corresponding olfactory receptors archived in ORDB of the SenseLab. The receptors in ORDB are also linked to the putative odorant ligands, if there are any, in OdorDB. The odor-induced activity patterns in the brain ("odor maps") are archived in OdorMapDB

Table_1_Effects of Immobilized Antimicrobial Peptides on Growth Performance, Serum Biochemical Index, Inflammatory Factors, Intestinal Morphology, and Microbial Community in Weaning Pigs.docx

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of immobilized antimicrobial peptides on growth performance, serum biochemical index, inflammatory factors, intestinal morphology, and microbial community of weaning piglets. A total of 21 weaning piglets [Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire)] with initial body weight (7.64 ± 0.65 kg) were randomly allocated to one of three treatments with seven replicates (one pig per replicate) per treatment according to sex and weight in randomized complete block design. Pigs in the three treatments were fed corn–soybean meal-based diet (CON), corn–soybean meal based diet + flavomycin (25 mg/kg) + quinone (50 mg/kg) (AB), and corn–soybean meal based diet + 1,000 mg/kg immobilized antimicrobial peptides (IAMPs), respectively. The experiment lasted for 28 days, including early stage (0–14 days) and late stage (15–28 days). The results showed the following: (1) compared with the CON group, the average daily gain in the whole experimental time (p < 0.05) was significantly increased, and the diarrhea rate of weaning piglets was decreased (p < 0.01) in the IAMPs group; (2) compared with the CON group, the concentrations of serum IgM and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the IAMPs group were significantly higher than the CON and AB groups (p < 0.01); (3) compared with CON group, the concentrations of serum interleukin (IL)-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF-β) were significantly increased (p < 0.05), and the concentration of IL-12 was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in the IAMPs group; (4) compared with CON group, the concentrations of serum endotoxin and D-lactate of piglets were significantly reduced (p < 0.05), and the relative expression of ZO-1 and occludin in the jejunum of piglets were significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the IAMPs group; (5) compared with the CON group, the villus height of the duodenum and jejunum of weaning piglets in IAMPs and AB groups was significantly increased (p < 0.05); and (6) compared with CON group, the relative abundance of Escherichia–Shigella in the colon and cecal digesta was decreased. In summary, the addition of 1,000 mg/kg immobilized antimicrobial peptides in the diet effectively relieved weaning stress by showing improved growth performance, antioxidant and immune capacity, intestinal morphology, and microorganisms.</p

Integrated olfactory receptor and microarray gene expression databases-0

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Integrated olfactory receptor and microarray gene expression databases"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2105/8/231</p><p>BMC Bioinformatics 2007;8():231-231.</p><p>Published online 30 Jun 2007</p><p>PMCID:PMC1955752.</p><p></p>ts have a many-to-many relationship, i.e., each project may have multiple experiments and each experiment may be associated with one or more projects. Microarray gene expression data are uploaded for individual experiments and annotated with the "genes" which are probed in the particular gene-chips. The olfactory receptor "genes" in ORMD have links with the corresponding olfactory receptors archived in ORDB of the SenseLab. The receptors in ORDB are also linked to the putative odorant ligands, if there are any, in OdorDB. The odor-induced activity patterns in the brain ("odor maps") are archived in OdorMapDB

Data_Sheet_1_Comprehensive Analysis of a Competing Endogenous RNA Network Identifies Seven-lncRNA Signature as a Prognostic Biomarker for Melanoma.docx

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) can act as competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) involving in tumor initiation and progression. Nevertheless, the prognostic roles of lncRNAs in lncRNA-related ceRNA network of melanoma remain elusive. In this study, RNA sequence profiles were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and there were 2020 differentially expressed messenger RNAs (DEmRNAs), 438 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) and 65 differentially expressed microRNAs (DEmiRNAs) between primary and metastasis melanoma patients. A ceRNA regulatory network was constructed based on the DElncRNAs-DEmiRNAs and DEmiRNAs-DEmRNAs interactions, which contained 39 lncRNAs, 10 miRNAs, and 16 mRNAs. Furthermore, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were carried out to establish a 7-lncRNA prognostic signature. Subsequently, the area under the curve (AUC) value of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the Kaplan-Meier risk survival analysis revealed the significant performance of this signature. Finally, pathway enrichment analyses implied that lncRNA MIR205HG and MIAT were associated with multiple cancer-related pathways, especially epidermis development and immune response. The current study provides novel insights into the lncRNA-related ceRNA network and the potential of lncRNAs to be candidate prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in melanoma.</p

Integrated olfactory receptor and microarray gene expression databases-3

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Integrated olfactory receptor and microarray gene expression databases"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2105/8/231</p><p>BMC Bioinformatics 2007;8():231-231.</p><p>Published online 30 Jun 2007</p><p>PMCID:PMC1955752.</p><p></p> out depending on the file type: 1) the description text file; 2) the dataset file showing the gene expressions; and 3) the raw data files. The description and dataset files are parsed by the system and the values are stored in the database. The raw data files are stored in the database as binary data type. B. Data export. The user first needs to choose a gene-chip type (Step 1), after which the dropdown list of the related experiments will be automatically refreshed. The user may select one or more experiments (Step 2) and choose an appropriate export file format, i.e., text or MS Excel (Step 3). C. A sample Excel file of gene expression data from three experiments: "Embryo," "Heart," and "Kidney"

Integrated olfactory receptor and microarray gene expression databases-2

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Integrated olfactory receptor and microarray gene expression databases"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2105/8/231</p><p>BMC Bioinformatics 2007;8():231-231.</p><p>Published online 30 Jun 2007</p><p>PMCID:PMC1955752.</p><p></p>resent), and statistical P-value are provided. For each probe set, the target gene name is provided in the column "ORDB_name" (corresponding to the name used in SenseLab). The hyperlinks on the gene name lead to the detail page of chemosensory receptors in ORDB (see Figure 1). The PubMed_IDs are hyperlinks directing users to original publications related to the genes

Can digital technologies mitigate supply chain volatility? Empirical evidence from China

Digital technologies, such as AI, big data, blockchain, cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT) and VR/AR, have been widely applied in firms and have greatly transformed supply chain management. We collect the annual reports of Chinese listed companies and adopt a machine learning algorithm to construct variables proxying for firms’ adoption of digital technologies, which we call digitalisation. Given the importance of mitigating supply chain volatility nowadays, we empirically show that a higher level of digitalisation can lead to a significant decrease in supply chain volatility measured by the bullwhip effect. We demonstrate that emerging digital technologies are effective in reducing supply chain volatility, among which the adoption of blockchain exhibits the largest impact. We further investigate whether the mitigating effect of digitalisation varies across different firm characteristics. Specifically, we find that mitigation is stronger for firms with more dispersed supply chain networks and a higher level of managerial expertise.</p

Dissolution–Redeposition Mechanism of the MnO₂ Cathode in Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

A dissolution–redeposition reaction mechanism of the MnO2 cathode is directly visualized in rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries via in situ Raman microscopy. MnO2 is reduced to Mn3+ during the discharge process, followed by a disproportionation reaction to form Mn2+ and Mn4+. The dissolved Mn2+ plays an important role in the battery chemistry. During the following charge process, the redeposition of Mn2+ forms a species with high Zn-content on the surface of the MnO2 cathode in the high-potential window. Moreover, an effective method that allows in operando observation of Jahn–Teller distortion of manganese is provided for the first time. This method uses in situ Raman microscopy to reveal the correlation between Jahn–Teller distortion and Mn–O bond length change